Risk factors

Exposure to trauma is required for a diagnosis of PTSD. Traumas include illness, accidents, war and terrorism, pandemics, disasters, and violence and abuse, among others. Risk of PTSD can be influenced by trauma characteristics such as trauma severity and frequency, whether the trauma is experienced directly or indirectly, whether it was intentional or non-intentional, and whether it was interpersonal. Personal characteristics can also determine who will develop PTSD following exposure to trauma. These include certain personality traits, social factors, and cognitive and psychological factors including resilience.

To access the evidence on trauma and personal characteristics associated with risk for PTSD, click on the tabs below or navigate through the topics via the drop-down menu on the left.

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NeuRA Libraries

Title Colour Legend:
Green - Topic summary is available.
Orange - Topic summary is being compiled.
Red - Topic summary has no current systematic review available.